Eric’s been in touch again with his N gauge model railway – and you all know how much I love an update (his last post is here).
“Hi Al,
Well it doesn’t seem long since I sent in my last update on this layout which for all is in N gauge.
I am not going to bore everyone with all the specs again. But this is getting near or is completed.
We now have people and lots vehicles on the streets including funeral procession and a couple of caravans and scooters there are quite a few more trees and bushes in place to make it more lifelike.
Added to that my total lights have reached 169 which I will do as my final update on this layout, the last lights are yard and signal box lights
This video has running sessions from different angles with a range of carriages and engines, even my first set of royal mail coaches that are now over 30 years old which I normally use for fitting clip on track cleaning pads to, they do a grand job at keeping the tracks clean with a few drops of methylated spirit on them.
I took the running session using a small tripod so not jerky as update 1, after the running sessions there is a close up tour of the town and yes it is a little unsteady at times but not too bad, it’s short too.
Yes in the tour you can see all the joins in the boards and I make no apologies for those as all the higher boards are fully removable to give me access to the tracks and wiring below which is essential for maintenance and accessing any derailments (thankfully hardly any of those to date).
All that is left is to say I hope you enjoy the video.
Happy modelling
Eric (Leeds) UK”
Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.
“Lee I have been receiving your messages for over a year and really like them. Many tips have been very valuable.
In June of this year I started to build a new layout modeled after a small Connecticut town where some road work was going on. One piece of equipment is not to scale because I cannot find it . Finishing up a few scenery issues and fine tuning the running two trains. I might add a few smaller buildings but not now.
Notice your card structures in the background.
Also solving a few small electric issues .
Great fun.
Thanks for all you do .
Regards
Frank”
That’s all today folks. A big thanks to Eric for sharing his N gauge model railway, and to Frank too. It just goes to show it’s all about rolling up your sleeves and getting stuck in.
That’s all for today folks.
Please do keep ’em coming.
And if you’re feeling left out in the cold, the Beginner’s Guide is here.
Best
Al
PS Latest ebay cheat sheet is here.
PPS More HO scale train layouts here if that’s your thing.
Excellent video and excellent realism for the smaller N scale,Really like your roads,sidewalks and landscaping,very realistic.I would add more figures on here over time,because this looks like a BUSY town(but we all know layouts are never truly “done”).Hope I can get mine as far as you have gotten.Love the ballast work as well.NICE layout!!! I am reading up on tips along with the great ones I get on here,gathering up buildings(and kits along with trains and cars) so I am at least somewhat ready to begin after I move.I’m sure I will make some beginners errors,but being on this site should help reduce them I hope.Planning actually a layout within a layout.An “old west” with my main consist being D&RG old passenger lines and a more modern “city” scene using the purple ACL locos and cars.Not really modeling anything specific,I just love playing with trains.Keep up the great work and vids.Thanks for sharing them
Excellent layout Frank, a lot of work has gone into it and it sounds as if you are loving the challenge of the electrical problems. Everyone has these issues but the enjoyment is solving them. Imagine the problems fitting 169 lights and getting the right voltages and wires in the correct places. Well done.
Eric (Leeds) UK
What is the smallest gauge model railroad?
“N” gauge?
WOW This is out of site and I do love it. Thanks
for the photos and tour
Wonderful layout. Being an American love to see the layout of different countries. GREAT STUFF. your trains seem to be moving fast, thanks again.
Fantastic job Eric has done there …well done …Dangerous Dave
Eric, Frank,
Love your layouts! great track plans and great detail, really a joy to see your results. Thanks so much for sharing. Cary in KY
The smallest commercially produced stuff is T gauge which I believe is 3mm gauge, ie if you drop anything, better have a light coloured carpet. Limited range so far and I haven’t seen any pointwork yet.
Next up is Z gauge, 6.5mm track, better range, mostly European, quite dear and still pretty prone to dirt as the trains don’t have much mass.
Then you have N, once known as OOO, 9mm gauge, plenty of manufacturers, mechs and track much improved nowadays. Scale is 2mm/ft (UK) so a little bloke is about 12mm tall, so you can properly ‘see’ people in scenes, still a bit fiddly doing things like changing couplings, mending points etc.
TT is 12mm gauge, a lovely compromise size allowing ease of modelling but long trains, however not much trade support.
OO (HO in US/Europe) is 16.5mm and the normal “train set” size, easier for little fingers to put track together and wheels on rails, lots of suppliers and choice.
Hope this helps.
Rod
Eric, you can’t start saying it’s finished yet mate, where are the signals? Oh, and those grey-liveried mineral wagons, the grey indicates unfitted, ie no vacuum brake, only handbrakes, so a brake van required on the back. Vac-fitted wagons were painted bauxite, a sort of rust red colour, no problem with those, the guard could ride in the back cab of the loco, although there often was a van anyway, so he could see the train back from it when controlling a reversing move into yards etc. Don’t mind me, used to be a signalman and since retiring, I’m a guard!
Rod
I have great interest in this material. Recently moved into our retirement home in Lexington, SC. Upstairs I have designated our third bedroom as my “train room”. I have much HO scale materials that I have collected over the years to start my layout.. Never have been a lot into scenery, but now that I have a permanent place I may get more into that side. For starts I am going to work on tracks and trains, and see where it goes from there.
Please keep this site active because I need lots of information on how to build and wire a good set up. Thank you.
Eric, a fine job. Do you have a diagram of your track layout? It seems very efficient for use of space. I would very much like to see that
HI frank, neat layout, I assume you have equipment for the New Haven RR. What is the name of your town? Former Milford resident, sometime rider of the old NHRR, Amtrak, and the Valley RR also the two CT Trolley Museums. I collect trains relating to the NHRR. Thanks for the rendition of my New England.
ANDY – FLORIDA
Alastair thank you for all you do!
Eric,
Great layout!
Especially like the gardens. Crops look ready to harvest!! Wonderful addition to the town.
Hi Rod. With ref to your comments, unlike a lot of people that devote their lives to true railway tradition in their layouts mine is because I love modelling the scenery, running the trains is just a bit of the model that gives it life. Why don’t I have signals? Well arthritis does not allow me to work under the lower boards with ease so tiny wiring down there is a no no especially with my twisted fingers.
To the person that asked for a track plan, basically it is four circles with a loop over, the sidings/ yard is as seen.
DD thank you for your kind comments, praise indeed.
Al keep up the good work, we all need the inspiration from your pages and tips.
Eric (Leeds) UK
Hi, excellent work, I was wondering what you used for the streets and sidewalks?
Joey USA
Eric, wonderful work well done i am suitably impressed. i would advise you contact dangerous Dave and get his advise on coloring your track to make it aged then your layout will be up there with the greats. Great achievement mate!!!!!!!!
Looks great Eric.
Great job guys! I was looking for a little inspiration and y’all sent it in a big way. Thanks!!!
Patti in Curdsville, VA